The Isran Empire
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 468
Allegiances: The Isran Empire
Registered: Apr 3, 2016 10:52:37 GMT -8
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Post by The Isran Empire on Oct 29, 2018 20:49:31 GMT -8
Around the far side of Untyrid Hall, much effort has been put into the growth of a large hedge maze. It is said that a treasure is hidden somewhere within, but this rumor has been neither confirmed nor denied.
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Archbishop Alured Norian
Committed
Roleplay posts: 71
Age: 356
Physical Description: Seven-feet-tall wearing a heavy, black leather cloak. A wide brimmed hat sits upon his head, and he wears a curious, pointed mask, fit with black lenses that hide its eyes. Occasionally sickly-sweet smelling gas rises from small vents on their side of the "beak".
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When not wearing what he refers to as his ceremonial garb, he reveals himself to be an elf. His face is lined with age and his hair is short and slicked back, black streaked with gray. His eyes are orange, and despite his races propensity towards merriment, he wears a permanent scowl that exudes a cold aura of authority.
Clothes and Equipment: A heavy leather jacket, gloves, a wide-brimmed hat and a plague doctor's mask. He has with him on a strap a holy book, bound in black leather with silver linings.
His mask has enchantments that largely eliminate inhaled poisons, sight-based magics or effects or even the need for air. His jacket functions as a flexible suit of metal armor and hampers weapons as such. It cannot be slices, however crushing and large amounts of piercing damage may penetrate it. It can be fixed, but it takes time, and thus can't be performed during battles.
He carries no weapons and fights unarmed, although he has a knife for general purposes. His leather gloves function as gauntlets and can pack quite a punch.
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Allegiances: The Church of Varafel
Player's online availability : Frequent
Registered: Dec 22, 2017 15:51:51 GMT -8
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Post by Archbishop Alured Norian on Nov 4, 2018 23:36:25 GMT -8
Skirting the larger crowds, the Archbishop observed the patrons with an air of quiet judgement. As if he were aware of each sin a man had committed, and was building their pyre. Yet, he stopped at none of them. While this certainly wasn't his first ball, he was grudgingly surprised by the unique variety of guests. Some looked to be lords or ladies, some were royalty from other lands. Others even from across the sea. Then it seemed as if a few were vagabonds, peasants dragged straight from off the street, dressed in livery and sent on their way to mingle.
The races, the bearings, it was a hodgepodge of every walk of life he could imagine and yet he had not seen a fight, or argument. He had to give the Empress some credit, he supposed. Gravitating towards the more lightly populated area, he stood gazing out at the hedge maze, mulling over his thoughts.
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Grandma
Widely Known
Imperial Vizier of Isra
Roleplay posts: 1,017
Age: 90
Physical Description: ---------------------------------------------------------
An elderly and frail looking woman with white wispy hair. However, despite being old, her back is not bent by age nor are her eyes clouded by it.
Clothes and Equipment: ---------------------------------------------------------
She wears a deep purple robe that has sleeves that extend far beyond her hands. Her hands are covered with fine gloves of black silk and she wears one ring on each, one having a purple stone set in it and the other a piece of onyx. Carrying an ornate cane of orellium, Grandma can use it to increase her magical channeling as well as assist in deflecting others spells with it. The cane itself is black and covered in numerous ornate, but tiny runes. The cap on the cane is a purplish colored gem. On her wrist is a silver bracelet with a ruby in it that Grandma uses for telepathic communication with others in its network.
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Registered: Sept 12, 2015 8:27:42 GMT -8
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Post by Grandma on Nov 5, 2018 7:33:33 GMT -8
The Archbishop’s arrival did not go unnoticed. In fact, he was one of the few people invited who Grandma had ordered those at the guestbook to alert her to if the man decided to make an appearance. She had been slightly worried he might decline his invitation to the Ball, but here he was.
Grandma approached Alured with her usual slow gait, her robes rustling the grass as she drew closer and closer to Alured. A wide smile broke her previously unreadable expression as she addressed the Archbishop.
“Why, if it isn’t Archbishop Allured. I’ve been meaning to meet with you for some time after hearing all the interesting things about your religion. I am Grandma, the Imperial Vizier of Isra.”
There had been a bit of digging she had done into the Church of Varafel, even going so far as sending an inquisitor to join it under the pretense of being a peasant girl looking for a new home. Today she had the opportunity to speak directly with the leader of this religion and make her own opinions from that.
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Archbishop Alured Norian
Committed
Roleplay posts: 71
Age: 356
Physical Description: Seven-feet-tall wearing a heavy, black leather cloak. A wide brimmed hat sits upon his head, and he wears a curious, pointed mask, fit with black lenses that hide its eyes. Occasionally sickly-sweet smelling gas rises from small vents on their side of the "beak".
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When not wearing what he refers to as his ceremonial garb, he reveals himself to be an elf. His face is lined with age and his hair is short and slicked back, black streaked with gray. His eyes are orange, and despite his races propensity towards merriment, he wears a permanent scowl that exudes a cold aura of authority.
Clothes and Equipment: A heavy leather jacket, gloves, a wide-brimmed hat and a plague doctor's mask. He has with him on a strap a holy book, bound in black leather with silver linings.
His mask has enchantments that largely eliminate inhaled poisons, sight-based magics or effects or even the need for air. His jacket functions as a flexible suit of metal armor and hampers weapons as such. It cannot be slices, however crushing and large amounts of piercing damage may penetrate it. It can be fixed, but it takes time, and thus can't be performed during battles.
He carries no weapons and fights unarmed, although he has a knife for general purposes. His leather gloves function as gauntlets and can pack quite a punch.
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Allegiances: The Church of Varafel
Player's online availability : Frequent
Registered: Dec 22, 2017 15:51:51 GMT -8
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Post by Archbishop Alured Norian on Nov 5, 2018 10:01:22 GMT -8
Initially as Grandma approached, Alured did not turn to face her. Another parygoer, no doubt, looking to plunge into the maze. At the sound of his title, however, he turned on his heel, gaze steadily falling upon the seemingly elderly woman who approached him. He recognized her quickly, although he had never had the opportunity to speak with her personally.
"Being greeted by the Vizier herself. Quite an honor." he addressed, taking in the sight of her. From all appearances she seemed to be an elderly human woman, but he had heard plenty of stories to tell him otherwise. Allowing her to close the distance between them, he found himself briefly wondering how she had heard of his arrival so quickly. Or had managed to break off from what she was doing to address him. Had Naoki ordered a close eye to be kept upon him? Or was she merely personally invested in some way?
"I'm pleasantly surprised to hear you say that." the Archbishop replied, voice crisp even over the din of the distant party. He certainly didn't seem particularly pleased. "It seems not many in Isra are quite so interested in the words of Varafel."
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Grandma
Widely Known
Imperial Vizier of Isra
Roleplay posts: 1,017
Age: 90
Physical Description: ---------------------------------------------------------
An elderly and frail looking woman with white wispy hair. However, despite being old, her back is not bent by age nor are her eyes clouded by it.
Clothes and Equipment: ---------------------------------------------------------
She wears a deep purple robe that has sleeves that extend far beyond her hands. Her hands are covered with fine gloves of black silk and she wears one ring on each, one having a purple stone set in it and the other a piece of onyx. Carrying an ornate cane of orellium, Grandma can use it to increase her magical channeling as well as assist in deflecting others spells with it. The cane itself is black and covered in numerous ornate, but tiny runes. The cap on the cane is a purplish colored gem. On her wrist is a silver bracelet with a ruby in it that Grandma uses for telepathic communication with others in its network.
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Registered: Sept 12, 2015 8:27:42 GMT -8
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Post by Grandma on Nov 5, 2018 20:39:51 GMT -8
Halting about seven feet away from him, Grandma leaned forward on her cane as the Archbishop responded to her greeting. Her wizened, near claw-like hands clutched at the cane for support, the numerous rings on her fingers glinting softly in the twilight. She was slightly surprised to see Alured without his mask, from everything she had heard, he was rarely seen without it in public.
“Have you not found much success in recruiting new members for your religion here in the Free City?”
The almost benign curiosity in the old woman’s voice didn’t match the intensity of her gaze which was directed entirely towards Alured. Grandma idly wondered if eye contact made Alured uncomfortable or if his reasons for wearing a mask were unrelated. There weren’t any birthmarks or deformities she could see on his face, so why the mask…
“Tell me Archbishop, now that you’ve stayed in Isra for some time now, how are you finding the accommodations of our city? There’s such a wide variety of establishments here after all. I’m sure you’re quite responsible with your Church’s funds, but I hope they’ve left you enough to experience some of the joys of Isra.”
There was an almost knowing glint in Grandma’s eyes that accompanied her final words.
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Archbishop Alured Norian
Committed
Roleplay posts: 71
Age: 356
Physical Description: Seven-feet-tall wearing a heavy, black leather cloak. A wide brimmed hat sits upon his head, and he wears a curious, pointed mask, fit with black lenses that hide its eyes. Occasionally sickly-sweet smelling gas rises from small vents on their side of the "beak".
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When not wearing what he refers to as his ceremonial garb, he reveals himself to be an elf. His face is lined with age and his hair is short and slicked back, black streaked with gray. His eyes are orange, and despite his races propensity towards merriment, he wears a permanent scowl that exudes a cold aura of authority.
Clothes and Equipment: A heavy leather jacket, gloves, a wide-brimmed hat and a plague doctor's mask. He has with him on a strap a holy book, bound in black leather with silver linings.
His mask has enchantments that largely eliminate inhaled poisons, sight-based magics or effects or even the need for air. His jacket functions as a flexible suit of metal armor and hampers weapons as such. It cannot be slices, however crushing and large amounts of piercing damage may penetrate it. It can be fixed, but it takes time, and thus can't be performed during battles.
He carries no weapons and fights unarmed, although he has a knife for general purposes. His leather gloves function as gauntlets and can pack quite a punch.
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Allegiances: The Church of Varafel
Player's online availability : Frequent
Registered: Dec 22, 2017 15:51:51 GMT -8
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Post by Archbishop Alured Norian on Nov 6, 2018 17:10:37 GMT -8
"The people are more than happy to seek answers to the afterlife." Alured replied, and if he were intimidated by eye contact, he had a hell of a poker face. "It's those higher that seem less invested." The distance at which she stopped almost made it seem as if the conversation weren't supposed to be particularly intimate. He found himself wondering if she expected him to close the distance himself. Striding forward he closed the gap she had left, leaving them a few feet apart as he gazed down at the elderly human. At least, she looked human.
Gazing levelly at her unspoken accusation, the Archbishop's face was as if cut from stone. Was this what the old woman had sought him out for? Barbs?
"The only "joys" I indulge in, are those in the service of the Goddess." he returned, his bearing unbothered, although his voice carried frost. "These accommodations are superfluous. The spoils of a decadent kingdom, I'm certain the city will grow out of them in time." for now, he would let the topic of funds go untouched. Perhaps she would try and pry deeper, he wasn't certain, but it was clear she knew something. Whether or not it was interpreted correctly, he would have to discover.
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Grandma
Widely Known
Imperial Vizier of Isra
Roleplay posts: 1,017
Age: 90
Physical Description: ---------------------------------------------------------
An elderly and frail looking woman with white wispy hair. However, despite being old, her back is not bent by age nor are her eyes clouded by it.
Clothes and Equipment: ---------------------------------------------------------
She wears a deep purple robe that has sleeves that extend far beyond her hands. Her hands are covered with fine gloves of black silk and she wears one ring on each, one having a purple stone set in it and the other a piece of onyx. Carrying an ornate cane of orellium, Grandma can use it to increase her magical channeling as well as assist in deflecting others spells with it. The cane itself is black and covered in numerous ornate, but tiny runes. The cap on the cane is a purplish colored gem. On her wrist is a silver bracelet with a ruby in it that Grandma uses for telepathic communication with others in its network.
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Registered: Sept 12, 2015 8:27:42 GMT -8
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Post by Grandma on Nov 6, 2018 20:39:17 GMT -8
Grandma stroked her chin thoughtfully at his words. The common people liked his religion’s message but those on top were uninterested. That was a rather interesting view he held.
“The higher-ups in Isra are uninterested in what you have to say? Perhaps I can help you then. As I said before, I find your religion quite intriguing. Unfortunately, I’ve only gotten my information about it from second-hand sources, but this strikes me as a perfect opportunity to learn more. After all, who better to tell me about the details of it than you, the Archbishop.”
He had moved closer to her, but Grandma didn’t seem bothered. It did cause her to have to crane her neck up to look at him given the difference in heights, but she seemed intent on holding eye contact with the elf.
“Does the Goddess forbid her followers to seek out their own enjoyment or is that simply a rule that you enforce on yourself? I also agree with you, this event is extremely extravagant and filled with too many worldly pleasures to count. I suppose where my view differs is I don’t see the problem in that.”
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Archbishop Alured Norian
Committed
Roleplay posts: 71
Age: 356
Physical Description: Seven-feet-tall wearing a heavy, black leather cloak. A wide brimmed hat sits upon his head, and he wears a curious, pointed mask, fit with black lenses that hide its eyes. Occasionally sickly-sweet smelling gas rises from small vents on their side of the "beak".
-------
When not wearing what he refers to as his ceremonial garb, he reveals himself to be an elf. His face is lined with age and his hair is short and slicked back, black streaked with gray. His eyes are orange, and despite his races propensity towards merriment, he wears a permanent scowl that exudes a cold aura of authority.
Clothes and Equipment: A heavy leather jacket, gloves, a wide-brimmed hat and a plague doctor's mask. He has with him on a strap a holy book, bound in black leather with silver linings.
His mask has enchantments that largely eliminate inhaled poisons, sight-based magics or effects or even the need for air. His jacket functions as a flexible suit of metal armor and hampers weapons as such. It cannot be slices, however crushing and large amounts of piercing damage may penetrate it. It can be fixed, but it takes time, and thus can't be performed during battles.
He carries no weapons and fights unarmed, although he has a knife for general purposes. His leather gloves function as gauntlets and can pack quite a punch.
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Allegiances: The Church of Varafel
Player's online availability : Frequent
Registered: Dec 22, 2017 15:51:51 GMT -8
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Post by Archbishop Alured Norian on Nov 6, 2018 23:44:59 GMT -8
"The enjoyment one seeks while in service to the Goddess is modest, but not bleak." the Archbishop addressed. The edge of his voice had lifted somewhat, and he turned to gaze out over the people as they went into and out of the hedges. It almost made him feel nostalgic. "When you work with death and wounds, you often find things progressively become more somber. I have seen some who lose their sensitivities to such things. Others who take tragedy with lowered heads yet revel with the best of them. As her Archbishop, I see it as part of my duty to live even my best moments in her service."
He glanced at her for a moment, seeming largely unperturbed.
"The fire that burns to hot, quickly burns itself out. How long will it take people who live in debauchery with such little self-control to find they have nothing left to explore? Or that they no longer have the funds to pursue it. Living recklessly comes with consequences that are not always immediately apparent."
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Grandma
Widely Known
Imperial Vizier of Isra
Roleplay posts: 1,017
Age: 90
Physical Description: ---------------------------------------------------------
An elderly and frail looking woman with white wispy hair. However, despite being old, her back is not bent by age nor are her eyes clouded by it.
Clothes and Equipment: ---------------------------------------------------------
She wears a deep purple robe that has sleeves that extend far beyond her hands. Her hands are covered with fine gloves of black silk and she wears one ring on each, one having a purple stone set in it and the other a piece of onyx. Carrying an ornate cane of orellium, Grandma can use it to increase her magical channeling as well as assist in deflecting others spells with it. The cane itself is black and covered in numerous ornate, but tiny runes. The cap on the cane is a purplish colored gem. On her wrist is a silver bracelet with a ruby in it that Grandma uses for telepathic communication with others in its network.
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Registered: Sept 12, 2015 8:27:42 GMT -8
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Post by Grandma on Nov 7, 2018 10:44:04 GMT -8
Grandma was finding it difficult to get a read on the Archbishop. Was he really nothing more than a pious elf, sticking to his principles at every turn? If that was truly the case, Grandma would be rather disappointed but she felt there was something more to the man, something beneath the surface. She had spoken to Naoki about him and the visit he had held with her, but even what had been revealed there didn't satisfy Grandma's curiosity.
"Well, that is a rather noble goal you hold there, living your whole life in service of your Goddess. I have heard your church holds some interesting views, like that they despise the undead and seek to cleanse the overworld of them along with the necromancers who bring them back. Is that view accurate or have I simply been hearing some over-exaggerated rumors?"
His last comment seemed to amuse the old crone, causing her to let out a brief chuckle, although her eyes held no sign fo amusement in them.
"I will have to take issue with that point, Archbishop. Although perhaps what you say has some truth to it, I would argue your own lifestyle is a prime example of one that would cause 'burn out' as you call it. In my mind, it is all a matter of balance. Living a life full of party's like the one tonight would be a wasteful existence, but likewise living a life serving only others and never yourself sounds equally unfortunate to me. Are there many members in your church who can sustain living as disciplined a lifestyle as your own?"
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Archbishop Alured Norian
Committed
Roleplay posts: 71
Age: 356
Physical Description: Seven-feet-tall wearing a heavy, black leather cloak. A wide brimmed hat sits upon his head, and he wears a curious, pointed mask, fit with black lenses that hide its eyes. Occasionally sickly-sweet smelling gas rises from small vents on their side of the "beak".
-------
When not wearing what he refers to as his ceremonial garb, he reveals himself to be an elf. His face is lined with age and his hair is short and slicked back, black streaked with gray. His eyes are orange, and despite his races propensity towards merriment, he wears a permanent scowl that exudes a cold aura of authority.
Clothes and Equipment: A heavy leather jacket, gloves, a wide-brimmed hat and a plague doctor's mask. He has with him on a strap a holy book, bound in black leather with silver linings.
His mask has enchantments that largely eliminate inhaled poisons, sight-based magics or effects or even the need for air. His jacket functions as a flexible suit of metal armor and hampers weapons as such. It cannot be slices, however crushing and large amounts of piercing damage may penetrate it. It can be fixed, but it takes time, and thus can't be performed during battles.
He carries no weapons and fights unarmed, although he has a knife for general purposes. His leather gloves function as gauntlets and can pack quite a punch.
-------
Allegiances: The Church of Varafel
Player's online availability : Frequent
Registered: Dec 22, 2017 15:51:51 GMT -8
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Post by Archbishop Alured Norian on Nov 7, 2018 17:34:36 GMT -8
Undead.
The mere mention of them Caused Alured's demeanor to change. It was as if a heavy frost had settled over the conversation, and as he turned back to her he caught her eye once again.
"The creation and existence of undead goes against everything stood for by the Goddess Varafel. What soul they may appear to have is but the tattered remains of who they were before, draped over rotting flesh. They do not think or feel as you and I do. The closest they have are cruel analogues to mortal emotion. They are an abomination that keeps innocent souls doomed to rot within remorseless corpses and they must be eradicated. Burned from this world so that they may reach the embrace of the Goddess."
While he himself did not become particularly animated, the tone of his voice contained much more than a detached interest in the subject. "Necromancers are no better. The act of using such foul magics to further their personal ambitions is complete sacrilege. Desecration, grave robbing, these are unforgivable crimes in almost every civilized society. They are things we as mortals understand to be wrong. A few outliers may think themselves above the reach of such laws. I beg to differ."
His speech had been so impassioned that he had nearly forgotten her final question. "Many of my followers are disciplined. However, there are many ways to pursue such things. My Resters are masters of slaying undead and of eliminating those who practice the necromantic arts. They seek discipline in work, in their weapons and enchantments. Others find their discipline in healing and being midwives. They pray, and each together. There are outliers, but those who seek to serve the Goddess frequently give up lifestyles such as this for the good of their fellow men. Can you say the same of your own people, Vizier?"
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Healer Julane Gael
Committed
Roleplay posts: 58
Age: 27
Physical Description: Healer Julane is a tall, slender woman with soft glacial blue inquisitive eyes and long, silky smooth white hair, falling straight down to about halfway down her back, prim and well taken care of. Her eyebrows are almost always slightly furrowed, and her soft pink lips always turned up into a smile, giving her a gentle, kindly face, despite its slender and otherwise sharp features. Her figure is slim and somewhat muted, with a rather unimpressive bust and legs meant less for outdoorsy physical activity and more for long strides across a library. Her fingers are long and slender, like a pianist's, and although they tend to be utilised more for flipping pages and casting spells, she does "dabble" in the citole, as she puts it, though in reality she's a very proficient musician. Her voice is soft, clear, and crisp, wonderfully suited for calming down patients or ordering nurses around without so much as a raised tone.
Clothes and Equipment: ===========================================
Healer Julane is almost always dressed in her white, plain and yet elegant flowing silken robes, the upper half of which is split to show a long tract of flesh down the centre of her torso, the reason behind this stated to be to disarm patients upon the battlefield by showing them that she is unarmed and not an enemy, although it has the side-effect of looking somewhat unnecessarily immodest. The lower half, however, is slightly thicker, the skirt overlapping on itself once in the front, falling down to right below her ankles to cover her booted feet without making her trip over herself.
She almost always wears a storage belt with phials and small satchels hanging off of it, making a musical clinking as she walks along. A small, ornate and yet primitive round charm with two eagle feathers hanging from leather cords is always on her person, usually latched to her belt, and she has been known to risk her own life to retrieve it if lost. No one knows the purpose of the object, but all know it is sacred to her.
Unlike her mentor, Andraste, Julane doesn't carry about a hefty tome full of spells. Instead, she carries about a compact booklet full of all the incantations, evocations, and charms a healer must know in order to be proficient. In addition to this, her staff is made of solid redwood, straight and well-carved with swirling Elven runes etched into its length, the tip widening and spiralling about to caress a large opal the size of a fist, quite an unusual channelling stone to be upon a mage's staff. Its utility is singular: light, defence, and healing spells, and the stone excels at enhancing those magics, but one will find it difficult if not impossible or extremely dangerous to cast offensive, dark, or blood magic spells using the stone. Luckily, it's perfect for Julane. Although she doesn't know it, Healer Julane is also very good at passive magical suggestion, her words seeming to carry a tone of authority no matter how they're spoken, causing those undefended hearts and minds to be drawn to her ideals.
Registered: Sept 27, 2015 19:17:19 GMT -8
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Post by Healer Julane Gael on Nov 7, 2018 21:40:14 GMT -8
Julane's thin heels are perhaps not well-suited for the rough terrain that the hedge maze's path offers, but she treks on nonetheless and even seems to be able to maintain a degree of elegance and decorum as she walks toward its entrance with Francois Nicolet Montcalm. "So, Mister Montcalm," she intones in her quiet and gentle alto, "tell me what troubles you and your followers. I promised, of course, that I would listen, and listen I will, even despite your obvious distaste for me. You really shouldn't read so much into my every word, you know. It's not a healthy thought pattern, being so...sensationalist." Her eyes are not on him, but instead trace the constellations above, admiring the glimmering blanket of starlight that rests in the clear sky overhead.
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Grandma
Widely Known
Imperial Vizier of Isra
Roleplay posts: 1,017
Age: 90
Physical Description: ---------------------------------------------------------
An elderly and frail looking woman with white wispy hair. However, despite being old, her back is not bent by age nor are her eyes clouded by it.
Clothes and Equipment: ---------------------------------------------------------
She wears a deep purple robe that has sleeves that extend far beyond her hands. Her hands are covered with fine gloves of black silk and she wears one ring on each, one having a purple stone set in it and the other a piece of onyx. Carrying an ornate cane of orellium, Grandma can use it to increase her magical channeling as well as assist in deflecting others spells with it. The cane itself is black and covered in numerous ornate, but tiny runes. The cap on the cane is a purplish colored gem. On her wrist is a silver bracelet with a ruby in it that Grandma uses for telepathic communication with others in its network.
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Registered: Sept 12, 2015 8:27:42 GMT -8
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Post by Grandma on Nov 7, 2018 23:46:37 GMT -8
The change in demeanor was sudden and it was quite clear what had brought it on. Good, now perhaps she could finally get somewhere with Alured. Compared to his almost uninterested unattached tone from before, Grandma wondered if this was his equivalent to yelling someone down. Although she couldn’t yet determine that, the old crone planned to push him much further than this, the consequences for doing so be damned.
“Those who work for me are professionals who are trained to do a specific job and do it well. They fulfill their duties for the good of Isra as well as to receive a healthy salary for themselves and their families. Do I demand that they give up all their vices, hobbies, and free time if they wish to serve me? No. If I wanted a hollow puppet, free of any signs of personality, I would simply create one myself.”
Grandma had decided to respond to his final question first, for her next words were likely to be considered the ravings of a heretic. She wouldn’t have it any other way of course.
“I believe your Goddess stands for Birth and Death? What makes you so certain that the raising of the dead isn’t perhaps a type of birth in and of itself? You speak of the undead as monstrous creatures that are forcefully bound to decomposing corpses, which is something I have witnessed firsthand. However, I have also witnessed undead who were not forcefully resurrected but brought back by their own wishes. They were not mindless monsters, but the same people they had been before death attempted to sell them short on their life in the Overworld.”
Pausing for a moment, Grandma directed a dark gaze across the maze as she became lost in thought. It only lasted briefly, her head snapping back in the direction of Alured as she continued to address him in a severe tone.
“Judging any race or profession based on the worst members is something I consider to be… Exceptionally dangerous. From my point of view, this is what your religion does to the undead and practitioners of necromancy. I don’t doubt you’ve destroyed many undead and necromancers who deserved such a fate, but then I ask myself how many have you destroyed who never did anything wrong other than break the commandments of the religion you believe in. A man who lost his lover to an illness and simply wished to be with her a bit longer, the very soul that he revived wanting the process to succeed. How many people like that have you destroyed, Archbishop?”
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Archbishop Alured Norian
Committed
Roleplay posts: 71
Age: 356
Physical Description: Seven-feet-tall wearing a heavy, black leather cloak. A wide brimmed hat sits upon his head, and he wears a curious, pointed mask, fit with black lenses that hide its eyes. Occasionally sickly-sweet smelling gas rises from small vents on their side of the "beak".
-------
When not wearing what he refers to as his ceremonial garb, he reveals himself to be an elf. His face is lined with age and his hair is short and slicked back, black streaked with gray. His eyes are orange, and despite his races propensity towards merriment, he wears a permanent scowl that exudes a cold aura of authority.
Clothes and Equipment: A heavy leather jacket, gloves, a wide-brimmed hat and a plague doctor's mask. He has with him on a strap a holy book, bound in black leather with silver linings.
His mask has enchantments that largely eliminate inhaled poisons, sight-based magics or effects or even the need for air. His jacket functions as a flexible suit of metal armor and hampers weapons as such. It cannot be slices, however crushing and large amounts of piercing damage may penetrate it. It can be fixed, but it takes time, and thus can't be performed during battles.
He carries no weapons and fights unarmed, although he has a knife for general purposes. His leather gloves function as gauntlets and can pack quite a punch.
-------
Allegiances: The Church of Varafel
Player's online availability : Frequent
Registered: Dec 22, 2017 15:51:51 GMT -8
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Post by Archbishop Alured Norian on Nov 8, 2018 0:37:05 GMT -8
The Archbishop was silent during Grandma's speech. He stared over the hedge maze in silent contemplation until. Her ideas were bold, insanity even. Of course, he could not go so many centuries serving a Goddess without some people insulting his religious fascination. It bothered him, naturally, it felt almost akin to a physical attack, but it was nothing quite so bold. It made him wonder, however, how far the old woman would go to prove her point.
It was, to him, a rather common misconception that those who rose from the dead as remnants of pain and suffering were real people. That they were the resurrected spirits of the ones they loved. It took merely a child's understanding to know that death was permanent. Death was the end of all things, and was not meant to be subverted. Quietly he listened until she finished was her final, barbed question. How many people like that had he destroyed? Turning his head his eyes bored once more into her own, blazing with unspoken, deep-seated hatred.
"Not enough."
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Grandma
Widely Known
Imperial Vizier of Isra
Roleplay posts: 1,017
Age: 90
Physical Description: ---------------------------------------------------------
An elderly and frail looking woman with white wispy hair. However, despite being old, her back is not bent by age nor are her eyes clouded by it.
Clothes and Equipment: ---------------------------------------------------------
She wears a deep purple robe that has sleeves that extend far beyond her hands. Her hands are covered with fine gloves of black silk and she wears one ring on each, one having a purple stone set in it and the other a piece of onyx. Carrying an ornate cane of orellium, Grandma can use it to increase her magical channeling as well as assist in deflecting others spells with it. The cane itself is black and covered in numerous ornate, but tiny runes. The cap on the cane is a purplish colored gem. On her wrist is a silver bracelet with a ruby in it that Grandma uses for telepathic communication with others in its network.
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Registered: Sept 12, 2015 8:27:42 GMT -8
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Post by Grandma on Nov 8, 2018 16:35:35 GMT -8
There it was, the Archbishop’s hatred.
“I wonder what an undead or necromancer has done to you in the past to result in your intense hatred of them. Turned your lover into one of them? Slaughtered your family before your very eyes? Turned your home into a shrine of death? Perhaps all of the above?”
Grandma began to pace back and forth, each turn emphasizing one of her prying questions. Perhaps it was nothing more than a trick of the light, but there was something almost unnatural to how precise the old crone moved. There was also something else behind the stern gaze she leveled at Alured, something ominous.
“Why haven’t you destroyed all the undead living in Isra, Archbishop? If they are truly as terrible as you claim, all the ones living in Isra should be destroyed regardless of the laws Isra has. Wouldn’t you be willing to sacrifice yourself and members of your Church to save hundreds of thousands of Isran citizens?
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Archbishop Alured Norian
Committed
Roleplay posts: 71
Age: 356
Physical Description: Seven-feet-tall wearing a heavy, black leather cloak. A wide brimmed hat sits upon his head, and he wears a curious, pointed mask, fit with black lenses that hide its eyes. Occasionally sickly-sweet smelling gas rises from small vents on their side of the "beak".
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When not wearing what he refers to as his ceremonial garb, he reveals himself to be an elf. His face is lined with age and his hair is short and slicked back, black streaked with gray. His eyes are orange, and despite his races propensity towards merriment, he wears a permanent scowl that exudes a cold aura of authority.
Clothes and Equipment: A heavy leather jacket, gloves, a wide-brimmed hat and a plague doctor's mask. He has with him on a strap a holy book, bound in black leather with silver linings.
His mask has enchantments that largely eliminate inhaled poisons, sight-based magics or effects or even the need for air. His jacket functions as a flexible suit of metal armor and hampers weapons as such. It cannot be slices, however crushing and large amounts of piercing damage may penetrate it. It can be fixed, but it takes time, and thus can't be performed during battles.
He carries no weapons and fights unarmed, although he has a knife for general purposes. His leather gloves function as gauntlets and can pack quite a punch.
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Allegiances: The Church of Varafel
Player's online availability : Frequent
Registered: Dec 22, 2017 15:51:51 GMT -8
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Post by Archbishop Alured Norian on Nov 8, 2018 17:04:50 GMT -8
As the old crone listed off the ways undead could have affected Alured, the Archbishop's gaze never wavered. It was a battle of wills, that much was for certain. What he couldn't seem to find out, however, was her motivation. What did she have to gain by attempting to pick a fight? Did she want him to lose his temper? Confess something or attack? Or was just this the old crow's way of entertainment at such a venue?
"I have told your Empress why I hate undead. Aside from the obvious, naturally. Do you mean to tell me she has not told her trusted vizier? Or perhaps you seek to hear it from my lips directly?" then her questions became more pointed. Edged with implication.
"I believe I'm beginning to understand. This is to be some attempt to goad me? If you expect me to fly into some sort of religious fervor and declare exterminatus to my people to tear down Isran establishment you are sorely mistaken. My people are safe from the undead threat. They are trained, and blessed by the Goddess' magic. Yet one day, the undead of Isra will cause problems. Bit by bit, necromancer by necromancer. One day, you will have no choice but to come to me, hat in hand. You will ask me how to deal with the undead and I will show you. Until then, let the infection fester. Let it rot away the love of your people, or burn it away. In the end, the Goddess' will shall be manifest. I can only pray to Her that you will still be around to see it."
With that, Alured turned, glancing back once more. "Enjoy the ball, Vizier." and with that, he walked away, heading towards the tents set up.
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Francois Nicolet Montcalm
Established
Liberty! Equality! Brotherhood!
Roleplay posts: 37
Age: 43
Physical Description: In regards to build he is as average as one may be. Marginally less than 6 feet tall, working man's muscles, well bred if not handsome features, as well as a black mustache and thin yet very dark black hair coupled with hazel eyes.
Clothes and Equipment: He will wear sensible and semi-formal clothing no matter the occasion, and a cap when outdoors. He has basic experience fighting dirty and making weapons out of every day things; pitchforks, scythes, even baguettes dried rock hard for use as a club, one of which he will always carry.
Registered: Jun 15, 2016 6:24:29 GMT -8
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Post by Francois Nicolet Montcalm on Nov 8, 2018 18:18:21 GMT -8
Francois follows the lead of Julane, being the 'plus-one' and only present at her whims. He moves quite quietly despite the tight formal clothes he is wearing, dress shows quietly sliding across grass. The man appreciates the artistry of the hedges and maze as a whole, looking curiously on it.
He walks on without saying a word for some time after the Healer speaks, contemplating his words with care. "Look, Madame. I'm a kindly soul - or so I am told - and harbour distaste for very, very few things in this world. Even less of them are physical entities, and of those even less are sapient, so on and so forth with you not being amongst them. Of that which I am against it is largely the abstract, ideas, concepts, behaviours that are harmful. Naturally, hatred is a thing which begets hatred and so I hate hatred, hatred of gnomes being a thing which I hate. Yet though there are few things I hate and only aim to do good in this world I find enemies around every corner. You say I am sensationalist, I believe I am cautious. You say I am provocative, I say believe I am reactive. But, this is not time allotted for discussing me Madame, even if in potentia in orders given by the Guard or Marshals it in fact is. Thus to begin, I assume you are aware of the restriction banning Gnomes from entering the premises of this ball?"
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Healer Julane Gael
Committed
Roleplay posts: 58
Age: 27
Physical Description: Healer Julane is a tall, slender woman with soft glacial blue inquisitive eyes and long, silky smooth white hair, falling straight down to about halfway down her back, prim and well taken care of. Her eyebrows are almost always slightly furrowed, and her soft pink lips always turned up into a smile, giving her a gentle, kindly face, despite its slender and otherwise sharp features. Her figure is slim and somewhat muted, with a rather unimpressive bust and legs meant less for outdoorsy physical activity and more for long strides across a library. Her fingers are long and slender, like a pianist's, and although they tend to be utilised more for flipping pages and casting spells, she does "dabble" in the citole, as she puts it, though in reality she's a very proficient musician. Her voice is soft, clear, and crisp, wonderfully suited for calming down patients or ordering nurses around without so much as a raised tone.
Clothes and Equipment: ===========================================
Healer Julane is almost always dressed in her white, plain and yet elegant flowing silken robes, the upper half of which is split to show a long tract of flesh down the centre of her torso, the reason behind this stated to be to disarm patients upon the battlefield by showing them that she is unarmed and not an enemy, although it has the side-effect of looking somewhat unnecessarily immodest. The lower half, however, is slightly thicker, the skirt overlapping on itself once in the front, falling down to right below her ankles to cover her booted feet without making her trip over herself.
She almost always wears a storage belt with phials and small satchels hanging off of it, making a musical clinking as she walks along. A small, ornate and yet primitive round charm with two eagle feathers hanging from leather cords is always on her person, usually latched to her belt, and she has been known to risk her own life to retrieve it if lost. No one knows the purpose of the object, but all know it is sacred to her.
Unlike her mentor, Andraste, Julane doesn't carry about a hefty tome full of spells. Instead, she carries about a compact booklet full of all the incantations, evocations, and charms a healer must know in order to be proficient. In addition to this, her staff is made of solid redwood, straight and well-carved with swirling Elven runes etched into its length, the tip widening and spiralling about to caress a large opal the size of a fist, quite an unusual channelling stone to be upon a mage's staff. Its utility is singular: light, defence, and healing spells, and the stone excels at enhancing those magics, but one will find it difficult if not impossible or extremely dangerous to cast offensive, dark, or blood magic spells using the stone. Luckily, it's perfect for Julane. Although she doesn't know it, Healer Julane is also very good at passive magical suggestion, her words seeming to carry a tone of authority no matter how they're spoken, causing those undefended hearts and minds to be drawn to her ideals.
Registered: Sept 27, 2015 19:17:19 GMT -8
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Post by Healer Julane Gael on Nov 8, 2018 21:13:21 GMT -8
Julane lets out a slow, slightly pained exhale at Francois' unnecessarily verbose manner of speech, but allows him to speak without interruption. "No, Mister Montcalm. I have come to this Ball on a whim, as I found myself tiring of locking myself away in my quarters all day and working. What is this rule of which you speak?" she asks, curiously, cautiously stepping over a large stone so as to avoid snapping her leather heels. She realises too late that the rough ground here is likely not the best for her current dress, but she presses on nonetheless, turning down a hedged corridor.
"I have never known Isra to be racist in any capacity. We have traditionally let all kinds within our walls, welcomed with open arms even those other nations decry as profane. In fact, our very Empress came from...erm...less than enlightened beginnings. This city was made to be a place of freedom in a world of tyranny and if that is not the case, it is concerning indeed and must be rectified," she continues in a tone that almost sounds like a lecture.
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Francois Nicolet Montcalm
Established
Liberty! Equality! Brotherhood!
Roleplay posts: 37
Age: 43
Physical Description: In regards to build he is as average as one may be. Marginally less than 6 feet tall, working man's muscles, well bred if not handsome features, as well as a black mustache and thin yet very dark black hair coupled with hazel eyes.
Clothes and Equipment: He will wear sensible and semi-formal clothing no matter the occasion, and a cap when outdoors. He has basic experience fighting dirty and making weapons out of every day things; pitchforks, scythes, even baguettes dried rock hard for use as a club, one of which he will always carry.
Registered: Jun 15, 2016 6:24:29 GMT -8
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Post by Francois Nicolet Montcalm on Nov 9, 2018 9:01:21 GMT -8
Francois gave an annoyed little grunt at the words of Julane, shaking his head. "You really should read the invitations to these things, Madamesoille. It was stated that gnomes are to remain outside of the grounds of the ball. I and other rational folk will ignore the language that can be misconstrued as comparing gnomes to baggage or as stating gnomes as property because I am not going to be anal about potential accent upon words; that would be the wrong kind of making something of nothing. However, it is nevertheless explicit that gnomes are not welcome to this event that is the face of the state."
Francois noted the woman's distress and stopped, taking a powerful jump upwards to survey their near surroundinfs for a moment. Taking Julane's arm he lead her around two more turns to a corner where they wouldn't be likely to be overheard without the pair hearing someone approaching first. "Now, you can see why this is problematic, aye?"
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Grandma
Widely Known
Imperial Vizier of Isra
Roleplay posts: 1,017
Age: 90
Physical Description: ---------------------------------------------------------
An elderly and frail looking woman with white wispy hair. However, despite being old, her back is not bent by age nor are her eyes clouded by it.
Clothes and Equipment: ---------------------------------------------------------
She wears a deep purple robe that has sleeves that extend far beyond her hands. Her hands are covered with fine gloves of black silk and she wears one ring on each, one having a purple stone set in it and the other a piece of onyx. Carrying an ornate cane of orellium, Grandma can use it to increase her magical channeling as well as assist in deflecting others spells with it. The cane itself is black and covered in numerous ornate, but tiny runes. The cap on the cane is a purplish colored gem. On her wrist is a silver bracelet with a ruby in it that Grandma uses for telepathic communication with others in its network.
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Registered: Sept 12, 2015 8:27:42 GMT -8
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Post by Grandma on Nov 10, 2018 2:01:48 GMT -8
Regarding the retreating back of Alured, Grandma didn’t take any parting shots at the elf as he left. After all, there was nothing to be gained from it if he didn’t respond and it seemed he was finished being berated by her. Perhaps she should’ve have taken a slightly different line of questions with him, but even if she had been more diplomatic she felt he wouldn’t have given anything else up to her.
Attempting to shock him into saying something by challenging his fundamental beliefs, Grandma still believed it was the best approach she could have taken, bar carting him off for interrogation. He hadn’t really given anything up to her, but she did have to consider the possibility that there was nothing for him to give up. This was something she would have to mull over at a later time.
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Lord Mykola Volkh
Committed
Roleplay posts: 82
Physical Description: Six feet and some change, his skin is pallid, making the shadows cast over his gaunt face seem even darker. His ears taper to a point, whether through the Curse or from before his change is unknown. Black hair falls in a straight black waterfall down his back. His eyes, when sated, are red. The longer he goes without feeding, however, his eyes grow darker until completely black and soulless. Has sharp incisors.
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Clothes and Equipment: Typically wears a series of seven doublets he keeps in impeccable condition. Wears a mantle even indoors and when alone.
Has a magical sword that has layer upon layer of powerful enchantments to increase durability to survive the full force of his blows. When it bites into flesh it absorbs blood, fueling and healing its wielder.
Has three rings, one of which lets him teleport within the confines of his castle. The second provides some protection from sunlight, giving him a few precious moments to retreat into darkness. The third lets him detect intruders and activate his defenses within his castle, even when away.
When grasping the end of his cloak it becomes hard, allowing him to use it as a shield.
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Registered: Jan 5, 2018 17:01:37 GMT -8
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Post by Lord Mykola Volkh on Nov 10, 2018 22:06:41 GMT -8
Scarcely two minutes had passed since the Archbishop's scathing retreat when an example of their heated debate revealed itself. Natasa on his arm, Lord Volkh seemed uncharacteristically intent on leading her somewhere. Almost walking too quickly for her to keep up. Realizing this he tempered himself, pleased for the reprieve of voices and heartbeats. Instead, he was approaching a source of potent magic.
"It is a lovely night, is it not?" the vampire addressed, crimson eyes taking in the sight of the older woman he had approached. With a bow and a properly gentlemanly sweep of the cape, he straightened once more. "I am Lord Mykola Volkh and this is my apprentice Natasa Waltine. May I ask with whom I'm speaking?"
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